Who is this for?

Fibre-conscious lunch chooser

You’re looking for a roll that is clearly labelled wholemeal and want to compare fibre on a like-for-like basis. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.

Canteen planner with no time to use an oven

You want to serve the rolls straight away. Albert Heijn says its AH wholemeal Kaiser roll is baked in store and sold individually.

Stock planner with an oven

You’re buying for several lunches and can store the rolls in the freezer before baking them later. The Jumbo wholemeal Kaiser rolls reviewed here are sold frozen in packs of four.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the rolls need to be ready to serve straight away or can be baked later. Then check the wholemeal labelling, nutritional information, allergens and how many you need.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare fibre per 100 g, rather than comparing portions of different sizes. I want to be sure the roll is wholemeal and compare its fibre content for lunch. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers.
Preparation Check whether the roll is already baked or still needs to go in the oven. For frozen products, read the storage and defrosting instructions. If I need to serve the rolls straight away, I don’t want to have to plan time for baking; when buying ahead, I need to know whether I can do that. Preparation is the top consideration for around 29% of consumers.
Allergens Read the information for the exact product and, if the rolls are served unwrapped, ask about allergens before buying. If I’m choosing an unwrapped roll from the canteen, I want to know which allergens it contains. Around 21% of consumers put this information first.
Packaging and stock Check how many rolls are in each pack and plan storage and preparation around when you’ll be serving them. For several lunches, I want to choose quantities I can store and prepare in time. Stock planning comes first for around 14% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Mistaking brown or multigrain bread for wholemeal

    A brown colour or a grain-based name doesn’t mean the same as ‘wholemeal’. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread labelled wholemeal is made from 100% wholemeal flour.

    Check that the exact product is labelled wholemeal, then compare the nutritional information per 100 g.

  • Buying frozen rolls without planning when to bake them

    The Jumbo wholemeal Kaiser rolls reviewed here still need to be baked. According to the product information, they must not be refrozen after defrosting.

    Before buying, check that you have freezer space, an oven and enough time to bake them.

  • Not asking about allergens in unwrapped rolls

    The Albert Heijn and Jumbo products reviewed here contain gluten cereals; Jumbo also lists soya. If rolls are served unwrapped, the product name alone isn’t enough to assess the allergens.

    Before buying, ask the canteen for the current allergen information for the roll on offer. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this information must also be available for catering.

  • Assuming every Kaiser roll contains iodised salt

    The ingredients in one product don’t tell you anything about another. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt as an ingredient in the AH wholemeal Kaiser roll reviewed here.

    If iodised salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients for the exact product.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn says its AH wholemeal Kaiser roll is sold individually and baked in store.

  • The product information lists 7.1 g of fibre and 1.13 g of salt per 100 g, and includes iodised salt in the ingredients.
  • The roll contains gluten cereals and may contain sesame and oats. Check the current packaging.

Jumbo

The Jumbo frozen wholemeal Kaiser rolls reviewed here are sold in packs of four and still need to be baked.

  • The product information lists 6.7 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g.
  • The product contains wheat, rye, barley and soya, may contain other listed allergens and must not be refrozen after defrosting.

PLUS

PLUS lists a wholemeal Kaiser roll sold individually.

  • Buying rolls individually can be useful if you only need a small number.
  • Check the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens for the current product before comparing it.

Lidl

Lidl offers wholemeal bake-off rolls for those who want to bake them at home; according to Lidl, its fresh range may vary by store.

  • Bake-off rolls are a good fit for a lunch where time to use the oven has been factored in.
  • Check that the roll you choose is a wholemeal Kaiser roll, and read the current nutritional and allergen information.

ALDI

ALDI includes wholemeal bread and Kaiser rolls in its bread range, but does not list a specific confirmed wholemeal Kaiser roll.

  • Check that the specific roll is labelled ‘wholemeal’ before including it in this comparison.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if a Kaiser roll is wholemeal?

Check whether the roll is labelled ‘wholemeal’. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; a brown colour alone doesn’t prove that it is. Then compare the nutritional information per 100 g.

Which of the rolls reviewed lists more fibre per 100 g?

The AH wholemeal Kaiser roll lists 7.1 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 6.7 g per 100 g for Jumbo frozen wholemeal Kaiser rolls, according to the product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo. The difference in preparation may matter more for a canteen lunch, so check the current packaging too.

Can I ask about allergens in unwrapped rolls at the canteen?

Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must also be available for unwrapped products served by catering businesses. Before buying, ask for the information for the roll the canteen is offering.

Does every Kaiser roll contain iodised salt?

You can’t tell from the product category alone. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the ingredients for the AH wholemeal Kaiser roll reviewed here; check the ingredients list for other products individually.